Reading, particularly on spirituality is my hooby & passion. I am keen to learn , understand about Life, Consciousness etc, and evolve as a transformed Soul. However, there are times I start wondering how far these bookish knowledge can take me? I am adapting a quote from Swami Vivekanand, and ask " is this knowledge simialr to a donkey carrying loads of sandalwood, knows only its weight but not the value? There are times I use this knowledge to impress others.. shame on me! Did Mother Theresa undergo a course on Compassion? The great Saint Sri Ramakrishna ( Guru of Swami Vivekanand) was illiterate!

I feel saying " throw all these books.. stop collecting knowledge.... just DO SOMETHING ...however small an act... to uplift the deprived.

WELCOME Veeravalli - are you based in India by any chance?

I attended and wrote about OSHO who didn't impress me at all through his discourses that led to pver 400 books being published.

I think reading around topics that interest us (the book finds us, right?) can't do any - like Herman Hesses Siddhartha for example.....a timeless spiritual classic....

To me if an inspirational book, fails to motivate inspiration to change then either the book has failed or I have not taken advantage of an opportunity to try to help another human being. Each book, I read should either change or tweak my perspective or cause me to take action in someway toward helping others or myself.

I feel books only help if we want them to help. If our hearts are closed and we spend hours in digging deep into spiritual books , what good is that ?? If books manage to change our actions and feelings for better towards self and others then it all really means something.

I agree with you Veeravalli, just reading and reading doesn't help anyone. Our actions, however small, which make a difference in someone's life matter.

Hi Jim
Thanks for your response . Yes I am an Indian.I read your article about your stay at Osho ashram and that's how I became member of Go! smell the flower forum. I too have read several books by Osho and impressed by his creative logic. While many, including me, question as to how much he himself practiced what he preached, I don't want that to deprive me from getting some value from his books. That's why even though I stay close to his ashram I have not gone inside!

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